That Reminds Me... Fighting 'Nazis' at the Gunkle, a mystery hotel, leaking 'bargain' wellingtons, and a conversation down the docks

NOW'S the time to take a quick break from early Spring cleaning, pull up a pouffe, and rest your legs, while we share a few more of our flashbacks.

Like everyone else, I've been reading, with interest, the continuing Hubberston Fort saga, and it's reminded me of the other Pembrokeshire defence installations, scattered round the county, one, of course, which was particularly close to my heart.

As well as Hubberston Fort, also built in the mid to late 1800s were…South Hook Fort, Fort Scoveston, and Stack Rock.

In the late 18th century, Fishguard Fort was constructed, and history shows that it certainly came in handy when scrapping against ruthless pirates.

There's also Dale Blockhouse from the mid-1500s, but the one that holds special sway in my world, is the Royalist Fort, built in 1643. A year later, a Parliamentary fortification set up on opposite side of the pill, and the Royalists quickly surrendered.

Of course, I knew absolutely nothing of all this historical malarkey, to me, and all my Pill mates, in the 1950s, it was our Gunkle.

It was where we played cowboys and indians, fought off Nazis, scaled Everest, and, as we got a little older, held ridiculously dangerous catapult fights.

I suppose the closest we came to ‘fort’ action was when we were firing a ‘starter’ cannon across the waters of the Pill.

Alas, I have very few photos of the Gunkle…in our house, cameras were only for ‘posh’ people…but here's a snap from around 1870, of the Milford Estate Line to Castle Pill. The beach is Scotch Bay, and the Gunkle is on the left of the pic.

Next is a pictorial challenge from Graham Clarke.

"Jeff…here is a nice poser for you. I have come across about five old photos of a group of people, one of which is my grandmother. They must be getting on for 100 years old, and seem to be of a gathering in a hotel. The hotel is plainly called…BRYNAWEL..which I have searched for and cannot find.

“My grandmother is there, but not my grandfather, which is strange.

“There is one man who I think resembles the Reverend Sweet, who was minister at the Tabernacle when I was a kid.

“Perhaps it was a church elders outing? Anyway, before I throw them away, I'll set you the challenge."

I thought it was time to take another peek into the news cuttings scrapbook that Tish's Jets Llewellyn has kindly given me licence to use. This one made me smile.

"It seems there has been a great deal of laughter about the most recent exploits of George ‘Dungers’ Bowen, who plays darts for the Tish C team. George has long been teased about being a little mean…something he has borne with great fortitude…but this saga perhaps enhances his reputation in the area. He was delighted to announce to all and sundry that he had bought a ‘new’ pair of wellingtons for work…and paid the princely sum of £1 for them. All went well until the moment when he volunteered to work on a car in a pit, which contained almost four inches of water after recent rain.

“He stepped down into the water, but his smile soon turned to a grimace as he discovered both wellies were leaking so badly that his feet were awash. His darts colleagues almost collapsed with laughter when the story got out…and I understand Gerald Llewellyn and co are organising a collection so poor old George can have wellingtons which are waterproof!"

Teaser time. The answer to last week's was FORTY and was successfully spotted by…Joyce Layton, Margaret Jones, Les Haynes, John Glover, Larry Robinson, Owen from Todaro's, Elinor Jones, and Anne and Jets Llewellyn. Thanks to all who got in touch.

Try this one. What is unusual about the following words…revive, banana, grammar, voodoo, assess, potato, dresser, uneven?

For all TRM-ers who are patiently waiting for more of our Trawler Corner memories, I promise there's plenty to come.

I'm always delighted when someone says how much they enjoy these columns, and this week I must say I was chuffed to bits when a lady, down the docks, said…"Mr Dunn, although I'm not originally from Milford Haven, I enjoy reading your TRM so much that I sometimes wish I was."

And that's it for another week, all things being equal, I'll be back again next week.

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here